- How do I install the nova-google-autocomplete-field package?
- Install it with Composer using the package name emilianotisato/nova-google-autocomplete-field, then register the field class inside the fields method of your Nova resource. You also need a Google Maps JavaScript API key enabled for the Places library, which is passed to the field's configuration. Because the repository is archived, fork it into an internal namespace and pin a specific commit rather than pulling from the upstream branch.
- Which Laravel and Nova versions does this field support?
- The package is built as a Laravel Nova form field, so support depends on the Nova major version it was written against and the Vue version that Nova ships. The repository is archived, which means there is no ongoing compatibility work for newer Nova releases or Google Places API changes. Before adopting it, run a one-resource spike against your exact Nova, PHP, and asset build setup and confirm the Vue component renders correctly.
- How do I configure the Google API key for this field?
- Create a dedicated Google Cloud project, enable the Maps JavaScript API and the Places library, and generate a browser key that is restricted by HTTP referrer and by API. Pass that key into the field's configuration in your Nova resource and set quotas plus billing alerts so cost surprises are visible early. Since the key is exposed in the browser, restriction and rotation are mandatory, and CSP rules must allowlist the Google domains the field calls.
- What use cases is this Nova field a good fit for?
- It is designed for admin-side address entry inside Laravel Nova resources, where staff need real-time suggestions and formatted results while creating or editing location-based records. It also helps when you want to capture structured address components, coordinates, and place IDs alongside a record instead of a single free-text string. It is not intended for customer-facing checkout flows, public APIs, or server-side batch geocoding.
- What address data does the autocomplete field return?
- The field uses Google Place API results and exposes full metadata, so you can capture the formatted address, individual components such as street, city, region, and postal code, plus latitude, longitude, and the place ID. Store the components you need in dedicated columns rather than dumping raw JSON, and validate the submitted payload server-side. This keeps downstream reporting and geocoding consistent and avoids depending on browser output.
- Is this package maintained and safe for production?
- No, the repository is archived, has low star counts, and shows minimal ecosystem signal, which means no upstream security patches or Nova compatibility updates. Treat it as a spike-and-fork candidate rather than a trusted dependency. Fork it internally, pin a commit, add smoke tests, document the Google Cloud setup, and assign a clear owner on the Laravel or Nova team.
- Can I use this package outside of Laravel Nova?
- No, it is a Nova-specific form field with a Vue-based frontend that assumes Composer, Nova field registration, and Nova's asset pipeline. It will not work in a plain Laravel app, another PHP framework, or a headless API-first architecture without extraction and significant rework. If you are not a Nova shop, build a small custom component around the Google Places JavaScript API instead.
- How should I test an address autocomplete Nova field?
- Add smoke tests that confirm the field registers and renders inside your target Nova version, and test the server-side validation that runs on the submitted address metadata. Autocomplete itself is browser-side JavaScript calling Google, so mock those responses or test the fallback path manually rather than relying on live API calls in CI. Also verify the manual address entry fallback works when the key is missing or quota is exhausted.
- What are alternatives to this package for address autocomplete in Laravel?
- Consider a maintained commercial Nova address field, a small custom Nova field built directly on the Google Places JavaScript API, or third-party geocoding services such as Mapbox or Algolia. If you only need geocoding on save, a server-side geocoder wrapped in a Laravel service class avoids exposing a browser key at all. Choose based on whether you need the interactive autocomplete UX or just normalized address data.
- What production risks come with a Google Places autocomplete field?
- The API key is exposed in the browser, so it must be locked down by referrer, API, and quota or it can be abused. Google billing changes, quota exhaustion, or a disabled billing account will silently break the autocomplete, and Content Security Policy rules can block the Google scripts entirely. Plan key rotation in a runbook, keep a manual entry fallback, and account for PII and GDPR rules when storing full address metadata.